Taking Chances
by AttitudeEra1997
Summary: Ashley had been lashing out lately and Amanda thought she knew why... only for things to become clearer when she unraveled the chaos. (Co-written with werewolf-queen-022)
1. Wrong Assumptions?

_**January 14th 2019...**_

Ashley Hardy opened the door into her and Seth's locker room and helped him down onto the couch.

"Oh Mandy is gonna be pissed at you." Seth said as Ashley took off the red fabric wings.

"For Swanton Bombing Bobby from the top of the ladder and handcuffing that little pipsqueak to the ring? That's pretty standard for me." Ashley said.

"I know but you know what she's like these days." Seth said, before grabbing onto Ashley and pulling her onto his lap.

"It's gonna take some much more than a Swanton Bomb from a ladder to a table to kill me." Ashley said.

"I know babe but you know what she's like." Seth said before they kissed and Ashley's phone chimed, a text from Amanda.

' _Come to mine and Finn's locker room, we need to talk.'_

"I'm in trouble." Ashley said before showing the text to Seth.

"Told you so." Seth said before they kissed again.

' _Give me a few mins I'm just getting changed.'_ Ashley replied, before standing up and stripping off her Phoenix costume.

"Mmmm damn you are looking fine babe." Seth responded as Ashley slipped a hoodie on and zipped it.

"You love it." Ashley said before she kissed him on the forehead. "I'll be back soon, love you."

"Love you more." Seth replied before Ashley left, heading to the _Demon Lovers_ locker room.

"What the hell was that out there?!" Amanda demanded as soon as Ashley walked in.

"Hello Mandy, I'm good, thanks for asking. How are you?" Ashley responded.

"Worried! What is the matter with you?!" Amanda replied, rubbing her stomach as Liam kicked.

"Hey! That was pretty standard compared to what I can do!" Ashley said.

"Yeah, putting my niece or nephew in danger! I know about the clinic visit!" Amanda responded, startling Ashley.

"Hang on, hang on, you seriously think I'm pregnant?" Ashley asked.

"Why else would you go to Planned Parenthood?" Amanda questioned.

"It was a check up session for my lady parts. You know what Mandy? I used to think Jeff calling me a slut was low, but you accusing me of putting a baby's life at risk, that's a whole new fucking low!" Ashley responded angrily.

"Well you didn't tell me about it… matter of fact, you haven't spoken much to me since I told you about mine and Finn's son." Amanda responded, Ashley turning furious.

"If you had kept your legs crossed and stayed on the pill, the rest of us in the Women's Division wouldn't be working what should be your matches!" Ashley yelled.

"What was I supposed to do, put my dreams on hold?! You've known since we were teenagers that I've wanted to be a mom!" Amanda responded angrily.

"Of course I knew you wouldn't shut the fuck up about it! I still can't believe you would think that low of me about putting another life at risk! Here's what I say to that, fuck you!" Ashley said before flipping Amanda off.

"You shut her out and then blame her for thinking a normal thought? She was terrified, your sister was terrified that something terrible happened to you!" Finn replied after walking in, Ashley glaring at him.

"No, no matter what I say, she's never gonna see that I worry about her! She just sees me as trying to control her life, same way she perceives Matt and Jeff!" Amanda responded.

"If you weren't pregnant I would bitch slap you so hard half your face would be gone!" Ashley growled.

"Hey, what the hell's going on in here?" Seth asked after walking in and closing the door.

"Ask your girlfriend who seems to think that my wife's at fault for a dangerous stunt and thinks that Mandy's decided to settle down into life as a mother instead of being a full time wrestler. It's no different than Brie deciding to raise Birdie instead of focusing on her career." Finn responded as he held Amanda in his arms and lightly rubbed her stomach.

"Proves how little you two know because we're getting married in September." Ashley said.

"Yeah, congrats. Insult me and my growing family and then make an announcement like that like you're thinking I'll forget that you consider Liam a mistake!" Amanda muttered as she brushed tears away.

"I announced that engagement on my bday. And don't even think that crying hormones act will work on me!" Ashley replied before she left.

"Matt was right, you are a selfish little-" Amanda responded angrily, about to chase after Ashley but Seth gently stopped her.

"Just calm down, kiddo." Seth replied.

"She's been distancing herself from me since July, Seth! I try to talk to her at times and she just walks off!" Amanda responded as Finn got her to sit down. "If she doesn't calm down and stop being so damn hostile, she's not getting anywhere near mine and Finn's baby." She replied, Finn lightly rubbing Amanda's back as Seth crouched down to Amanda.

"I'll talk to her… she didn't mean the things she said." Seth responded before they hugged for a few seconds and he left, Finn holding Amanda.

"She was angrier than Jeff and he only reacted that way out of shock." Amanda replied as Finn lightly brushed her hair back… and Amanda heard her phone chime and answered a video call from Brock.

"Hey, why did Paul call me saying that you and Ash were fighting? You two rarely fight." Brock explained.

"He must've overheard the yelling… I told Ash that I was worried because I thought she was pregnant and she just got physically involved in Seth's match. And then she just went off at me, saying it's my fault that she and the others are working more matches." Amanda responded, Brock's expression softening a bit as he wanted to calm Amanda.

He considered her his family and hated seeing her upset.

"Mandy, I think it's time you go on leave." Brock responded.

"I was gonna tell her but then the fight happened." Amanda replied.

At the same time, Seth walked back into his and Ashley's locker room.

"You feel good about yourself, stressing out a pregnant woman?! Trying to make Mandy feel guilty for having a child?! She was worried about you and you went off at her!" Seth responded after closing the door, Ashley standing up.

"She accused me of me being pregnant and claimed that I would happily put a baby's life at risk!" Ashley exclaimed.

"She didn't claim that but she's right about this, you have been shutting her out since she and Finn told you about Liam. Do you even want to be part of their son's life?" Seth responded.

"I do but I won't stand by and let her get away with accusations." Ashley replied.

"She was expressing worry, not throwing accusations. Maybe you should show some trust and not shove her away." Seth responded before he left.

"Trust me when I say she got pregnant on purpose and lied about it being difficult to do so." Ashley muttered before going and getting dressed in her normal clothes.

She thought back to when all the attention towards Amanda became noticeable.


	2. Left Out?

_**October 23rd 2018, 4 hours before SmackDown…**_

 _Raw was about to start and Ashley checked her Twitter page… but there were no comments about her and Seth getting engaged, the only thing was a link to a picture and post._

 _Clicking on it, she saw that it was a picture of the gender reveal cake back on the 17th for Finn and Amanda's baby with the caption 'It's a boy!'... and Ashley was furious when she saw a comment from Jeff that read 'Where's Ashley? I know Mandy invited her.' ._

 _Ashley left the locker room and went looking for Amanda… who was talking to Jeff._

" _Roman's gonna be okay, Mandy." Jeff whispered as Amanda brushed tears away._

" _He's strong… I don't even know why I'm crying, he's gonna beat this." Amanda responded quietly as Ashley walked over. "Hey." She replied._

" _Isn't this nice… here you are, crying on my brother's shoulder about our friend. And not even inviting me to find out the gender of yours and Finn's kid." Ashley responded bitterly, startling Amanda._

" _First off, I can talk to Jeff when I want, he found me crying and asked what's wrong. And second, Finn and I invited both you and Seth and Seth showed up. Why didn't you?" Amanda responded, Jeff putting her behind him and turning to Ashley after lightly rubbing Amanda's stomach and Liam kicking against his right hand._

" _She's right, Ash. why didn't you show up? They waited the whole time." Jeff replied, Ashley turning to him._

" _I never got the invite." Ashley said._

" _You're calling me a liar?! I left the invite in your duffel bag, Ash!" Amanda responded._

" _Wail the red one?" Ashley asked._

" _Yes." Amanda answered, Ashley calming down._

" _I had to throw it out, TJ burned it and spilled beer on it." Ashley said._

" _That explains the fire alarm going off in the hotel at 6 in the morning." Amanda replied as they hugged… and Ashley yelped as she felt tiny feet kick at her right side. "Sorry." She responded as they let go._

" _Nah, it's okay." Ashley replied before the three looked at the Tv monitor._

 _But Amanda felt like Ashley wasn't okay with things changing…_

 **Present time** _ **, January 15th 2019…**_

Amanda opened her eyes as Finn let John in and John and Amanda hugged after Amanda sat up.

"Can we stay with you for a few days?" Amanda questioned as they let go, John seeing her reddened eyes.

"Bad fight with Ash?" John responded.

"She thinks I overreacted to her actions last night while she didn't and still hasn't told me the full truth about the appointment she had. So until after I come back, I won't talk to her unless it's business related… I was worried that she was risking not only her health but potentially an unborn kid's and she turned it around to make it seem like I accused her of being reckless." Amanda replied, John lightly rubbing her shoulders.

"She'll calm down, love, she has no choice if she wants to remain part of Liam's life." Finn responded after sitting down, him and Amanda kissing.

It was later in the morning that Ashley was let into Amanda and Finn's room and found it empty, turning around and seeing Dakota and stopping her.

"Jeez you just appear out of nowhere." Ashley said.

"Are you looking for them? They left, last night was Mandy's last event before she went on maternity leave." Dakota explained, Ashley's hazel eyes widening.

"Cool, cool, cool, cool, cool. Uh…. excuse me for one second." Ashley said before going to her hotel room. "FUCK!"

Seth jumped and he and Dean looked at each other.

"That's a bad sign." Dean responded.

"I better go talk to her." Seth replied before he left, walking into the room and closing the door. "You know now, don't you?" He questioned, Ashley turning to him.

"Was I really that loud?" Ashley asked.

"Dean and I heard you all the way down the hall. Ash, she had to go on leave, Mandy's due in just under a month." Seth responded.

"Why didn't she say anything?" Ashley asked.

"Why would she after you blew up at her last night? Finn told me you threatened to hurt her if she weren't pregnant." Seth replied, Ashley growling in anger.

"I wish she never met him, this whole thing wouldn't have happened if he just kept his distance from her!" Ashley responded angrily, which startled Seth.

"Who are you really mad at, them for starting a family or yourself for not having a chance to?!" Seth questioned, Ashley turning pissed.

"Why did you bring that up?!" Ashley demanded.

"Because you took that anger out on Mandy when she was worried about you and you had no right to!" Seth responded.

"The only reason why I went to the clinic was because you wouldn't try because there are 'Risks.' The only risk there I've got is leaving it too late!" Ashley yelled.

"Time running out?" Seth questioned.

"10 years at the most… the pills and alcohol damaged me that badly. So I got a little jealous of Mandy getting pregnant… she'll calm down and come back." Ashley responded as they sat down.

"Calm down, eventually. Coming back? Not until Liam is older, school age at least." Seth replied.

"I knew I should have taken that contract with Redbull." Ashley muttered.

"Do what you want, you always do." Seth responded before he got his things and left.

In Tampa, Amanda was in pajamas after a shower and eating Spinach Alfredo pizza before seeing a text from TJ… and TJ was angry.

' _How dare you accuse Ash of reckless behavior?!'_

' _Was worry, not accusations, pinhead!'_ Amanda responded.

' _Yeah yeah whatever, you say worry I say accuse!'_

"And I say all that weed rotted his brain." Amanda muttered as Finn walked in, sat down and wrapped his arms around her after they stretched out on the couch… before he answered his phone.

"What do you want, TJ?" Finn responded.

"So I'm guessing you haven't spoken to Jeff or Matt huh?" TJ asked.

"Jeff is getting ready for SmackDown tonight and Matt and Reby have their hands full with a 3 year old and a 1 year old." Finn explained.

"Uh… yeah about that, Jeff isn't competing tonight." TJ said.

"Is it one of the girls, are they sick?" Amanda questioned.

"Nope Ash has been pushed right over the edge and has completely disappeared." TJ explained.

"Ah, for fuck's sake!" Finn muttered.

"Where are you two anyway?" TJ asked.

"Tampa, Mandy's on leave." Finn explained.

"Ah okay. Look don't bother trying to ring Ash apparently she's left her phone behind, personas costumes and she did leave with ID and normal clothes." TJ said.

"She tell you that she went off at me last night, implying that I fucked up by getting pregnant?" Amanda responded, TJ realising that she was upset and that he didn't know the full story.

"I think we should go on Dr. Phil." TJ said.

"That man would be in over his head." Amanda replied, groaning a bit and rubbing her stomach as Liam gave a sleepy kick.

"Yeah. he would. You rest, Tiny." TJ replied before they hung up and he left.

He had to find Ashley.


End file.
